Mechanical movement for toys

ABSTRACT

In a toy, the movement of an element in randomly selected paths over a planar surface is effected by a longitudinally extendable and retractable pantographic arm assembly which is swingable in a plane parallel to such surface about an axis at one end of the arm assembly and which carries the element at the other end of the arm assembly, and individually operable drives are connected with the arm assembly intermediate its ends to selectively cause swinging thereof and extension and retraction of the arm assembly.

United States Patent 1 9 Claims, 4 Drawing Figs.

US. Cl 46/240,

- 74/479; 74/521 Int. Cl A63h 33/26 Field of Search 46/238- References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,059,506 5/1913 Uhlich.....1 74/521'X Inventor William Bloom Leonie, NJ.

Appl. No. 839,303

Filed July 7, 1969 Patented July 27, 1971 Assignee Miner Industries, Inc.

New York, N.Y.

MECHANICAL MOVEMENT FOR TOYS 1.216.261 2/l9l7 Ashley 2,745,216 5/1956 Stanetzki.... 46/240 3,481,071 12/1969 HinkSOn 46/240 FOREIGN PATENTS 823,717 10/1936 France 46/240 Primary Examiner Raymond F. Guida Assistant E.taminerJ. A. Oliff Attorneys-Alvin Sinderbrand and Curtis, Morris, and Safford ABSTRACT: In a toy, the movement of an element in randomly selected paths over a planar surface is effected by a longitudinally extendable and retractable pantographic arm assembly which is swingable in a plane parallel to such surface about anaxis at one end of the arm assembly and which carries the element at the other end of the arm assembly, and individually operable drives are connected with the arm assembly intermediate its ends to selectively cause swinging thereof and extension and retraction of the arm assembly.

SHEET 1 B? FIG.

INVENTOR.

W/L LIAM BLOOM FIG. 4.

ATTORNEY PATENTFH 101.27 ma FIG. '3.

INVENTOR. WILL/AM BLOOM A TTORNEY FIG. 2.

MECHANICAL MOVEMENT FOR TOYS This invention relates generally to toys or games of the type in which an element of the toy is to be moved in universal or randomly selected paths with respect to a game board or other planar member, and is particularly directed to an improved mechanical movement or device by which the desired movements of the element can be effected from locations remote from the element.

Toys'or games have been proposed,'for example,- in U.S. Pat. No. 2,663,967, in which a game piece resting on a board or support surface is magnetically attracted to a propelling magnet located under the board so as to follow movements that may be imparted to the propelling magnet. In suchprior toy or game, the device for moving the propelling magnet includes elongated, orthogonally related members which cross each other and have longitudinal slots slidably receiving, at their'intersection, a pin connected with the magnet. Each of the elongated members is movable in thedirection transverse to its length by endless cords or belts connected toits opposite ends and running around pulleys secured on rotatable shafts extending parallel to the respective elongated member at locations adjacent opposed margins of the game board, and one of which shafts is provided with a crank handle or the like by which it may be rotated. Thus, by turning the crank handles for'suitably moving one or both of the elongated members, the location of the intersection of their slots and hence of the propelling magnet can be moved relative to the game board. However, the foregoing'device for moving the propelling magnet is costly to produce and assemble and, upon protracted use, its endless cords or belts stretch or sag so that slippage of the pulleys occurs and accurate control of the movements of the propelling magnet-is no longerpossible. Further, with the described device it is difficult to effect movement of the propelling magnet along smooth arcuate pathsor along straight paths that are angled with respect to the directions of movement ofthe crossed elongated members.

Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide a relatively inexpensive mechanical movement or device by which a propelling magnet or other element of a toy can have remotely controlled, randomly selected movements imparted thereto.

Another object is to provide a device, as aforesaid, in which the accuracy of the remote control of the movements is not appreciably affected by long continued use.

A further object is to provide a device, as aforesaid; by which the element can be moved smoothly along straight paths that are at any desired angle with respect to each other and also along smoothly curved paths.

Still another object is to provide a device, as aforesaid, in which the arrangement of the manually actuated controls thereof is such as to provide a logical relationship between the directions of movement of said controls and of the resulting movements ofthe element.

In accordance with an aspect of this invention, a toy having a game board or other planar member and a magnet or other element which is to be moved to track or trace randomly selected paths with respect to the game board, is provided with a pantographic arm assembly mounted at one end for swinging in a plane parallel to the game board and also being longitudinally extendable and retractable to effect the desired movements of the magnet or otherelement carried by the other end of the arm assembly, and remotely operated first and second drives are connected to the arm assembly at a location between the ends of the latter and selectively cause swinging of said arm assembly and its extension and retraction, respectively.

The above, and other objects, features and advantages of this invention, will be apparent in the following detailed description of an illustrative embodiment thereof which is to be read in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

' FIG. I is a top plan view of a toy according to an embodiment of this invention, and which is shown with its game board or planar member partly broken away;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged, fragmentary sectional view taken along the line 2-2 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken along the line 3-3 on FIG. 2; and

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary sectional view on the line 4-4 on FIG. 3. i

Referring to the drawings in detail, and initially to FIGS. 1 and 3 thereof, it will be seen that the toy 10, of a type in which a mechanical movement in accordance with this invention may be employed, is there shown to generally comprise a game board or planar member 11 extending horizontally and forming at least aportion of the top wall of a housing 12 that further includes a bottom wall 13 and a peripheral or sidewall 14 extending along the margin of bottom wall 13 and maintaining game board 11 in parallel spaced relationship to wall 13. When game board 11 does not extend over all of housing 12, as shown, the remainder of the top of the housing may be closed by shelflike wall 15.

Disposed under game board 11 is an element 16 which, in the toy being described, is in the form of a permanent magnet and is to be moved to track or trace randomly selected paths with respect to game board 11. Further, toy 10, as shown, includes at least one game or play piece 17 disposed against the surface of game board 11 facing away from magnet 16, that is, resting upon the upper surface of game board ll, and being adapted to be magnetically acted upon by magnet 16 through game board 11 for movement in accordance with the movements of magnet 16 in the randomly selected paths. If desired, game board 11 may be formed of steel or other magnetic material while the game piece 17 is molded in a suitable shape of plastic and has, in its base, a permanent magnet 18 which is attracted to the game board 11. The magnet 18 is arranged so that its polarity, at the bottom thereof, is opposite to the polarity of magnet 16 at the top of the latterwhereby magnet 18 is attracted to magnet 16 so as to follow the movements of the latter. Alternatively, game board 11 may be formed of a plastic or other nonmagnetic material in which case magnet 18 of game piece 17 may be replaced by an insert of a ferrous or other material which is attracted to magnet 16 for causing game piece 17 to follow the movements of the magnet underlying the game board. It will be apparent that, when game board 11 is formed of steel or other magnetic material and the base of game piece 17 contains a magnet 18 attracted to game board 11, the game board may be disposed vertically or at a substantial angle'to the horizontal with the game piece 17 being magnetically retained on the game board and frictionally held against displacement along the game board by the force of gravity.

Although the toy 10, as shown, employs a magnet as the element 16 which is to be moved with respect to game board 11 in randomly selected paths and utilizes such magnet 16 to effect corresponding movements of a game piece 17 resting against the opposite surface of game board 11, it will be apparent that the element 16 may be other than a magnet and that its movements need not be employed for effecting corresponding movements of a game piece resting against the opposite surface of the game board. Thus, for example, the game board 11 may be transparent and provided, at its surface facing element 16, with a coating of graphite particles or the like, in which case element 16 may be in the form of a stylus for tracing desired patterns in such coating to be visible through the transparent game board.

In any case, in accordance with the present invention, the desired movements of element 16 in randomly selected paths with respect to game board 11 are effected by a mechanical movement or device that generally comprises a longitudinally extendable and retractable pantographic arm assembly 19 mounted below game board 11 so as to be swingable in a plane parallel to game board 11 about an axis at one end of the arm assembly and carrying element 16 at the other end of the arm assembly, and individually operable drives 20 and 21 connected with arm assembly '19 to selectively cause swinging thereof and extension and retraction of the arm assembly.

As shown particularly on FIGS. 1 and 4, pantographic arm assembly 19 includes a first series of links 22a-22f that are pivotally connected end to end, as by rivets 23, and a second series oflinks 24a-24falso pivotally connected end to end, as by rivets 25, with the two series of links zigzagging so as to crisscross each other with pivotal connections, such as the rivets 26 appearing on FIG. 1 and the pin 27 shown on FIG. 4, being provided between the links of the two series at the locations where such links cross each other. The structure for mounting arm assembly 19 is simply constituted by a shaft 28 (FIGS. 2, 3 and 4) which is suitably journaled in aligned openings provided in bottom wall 13 of housing 12 and iii the shelflike top wall 15, and on which links 22a and 24a are freely pivoted (FIG. 4). Thus, arm assembly 19 is swingable about the axis of shaft 28 which axis is normal to the plane of game board 11. The magnet 16 or other element to be moved is mounted in a holder 29 (FIG. 3) having a depending pin 30 pivotally connecting the ends of links 22f and 24f and which terminates in a shoeor support 31 slidable on bottom wall 13.

It will be apparent that, with the structure of arm assembly 19 asdescribed above, any change in the distance between two adjacent pivotal connections of the crisscrossing linkswill result in extension or retraction of thearm assembly, that is, in a change in the length of such arm assembly between the axis of shaft 28 and element 16, whereby to move element 16 in directions that are radially disposed with respect to the axis of shaft 28. Preferably, in accordance with this invention, extension and retraction of arm assembly '19 is effected by changing the distance between the fixed axis of shaft 28 and the pivotal connection 27 which is next adjacent shaft'28, that is, next adjacent the end of. arm assembly 19 at which the latter is swingably mounted. By reason of the foregoing, a relatively small change in the distance of pivot pin 27 from shaft 28 will effect a substantially larger displacement of element 16 at the end of arm assembly 19 remote from the pivotally mounted end thereof, and thus makes possible the accurately controlled movements ofelement 16 over relatively large distances.

Thus, in accordance with this invention, the drive 21 for effecting extension and retraction of arm assembly 19 preferably acts on pivotal connection 27 which is in the form ofa pin extending upwardly from links 22band 24b connected thereby and is slidably received in a helical slot 32 defining a cam surface and being formed in a disc 33 suitably secured on rotatable shaft 28 above arm assembly 19. Drive 21 is completed bya knob 34 which is suitably secured on an end portionof shaft 28 extending above shelflike wall so that manual rotation of knob 34 will effect corresponding rotation of disc 33. By reason of the engagement of pin 27 in spiral slot 32, rotation of disc 33 will move pin 27 radially toward or away from shaft 28 and thereby retract or extend arm assembly 19.

The drive for effecting swinging movements of arm assembly 19 also preferably acts on pin 27 and is shown to include a disc 35 freely rotatable on shaft 28 above disc 33 and having a cam surface defined by a radially directed slot 36 (FIG. 1) in which pin 27 is also received. Disc 35 preferably has a diameter greater than disc 33 so as to extend radially beyond the latter for engagement by a frictional drive member 37 (FIG. 2). Drive 20 further is shown to include a knob 38 mounted above shelflike wall 15 on a shaft 39 which is suitably journaled in walls 13and 15. and means 40 to rotate the frictional drive member 37 in response to manually effected rotation of knob 38. Preferably, the means 40 to rotate frictional drive member 37 includes reversing gears 41 and 42 respectively secured to shaft 39 and to frictional drive member 37 so that the direction of turning of disc 35 will correspond to the direction of rotation of knob 38 for effecting such turning of the disc. As shown, nonslip engagement of frictional drive 43 having an annular, stepped groove 44 extending therearound and receiving three rubber O-rings 45 which respectively engage the periphery of disc at the top and bottom edges and at the surface of such periphery. The three rubber rings 45 in the stepped groove 44 ensure that any warping ofthe disc will not disengage its periphery from the rubber O-rings. Preferably, the diameter of frictional drive member 37 is very substantially smaller than the diameter of disc 35 and the tooth ratio of gears 41 and 42 is selected to provide a very substantial stepdown ratio between the rotational movement of knob 38 and the corresponding rotational movement of disc 35. The foregoing ensures that swinging movements of arm assembly 19 caused by turning of disc 35 with pin 27 engaged in radial slot 36 will be smoothly effected.

It will be apparent that the rotation of knob 34 of drive 21 will effect movements of element 16 along a straight line, with the direction of such straight line being determined by the position of disc 35, and hence by the direction in which slot 36 extends. Thus, element 16 can be moved along straight paths which are at any desired angles with respect to the sides of housing 12. it will also be apparent that rotation of knob 38 to effect smooth turning of disc 35 will cause swinging of arm assembly l9 and corresponding movement of element 16 along curved paths the radii of which are determined by the extension of arm assembly 19.' Further, knobs 34 and 38 may be simultaneously turned at any desired relative speeds to combine swinging of arm assembly 19 with its extension or retraction, and thereby to effect movements of element 16 in any randomly selected paths.

8 The described drives 20 and 21 further have the advantage of being substantially irreversible so that, if housing 12 is disposed vertically as previously mentioned, the weight of elemember 37 with the periphery of disc 35 may be ensured'by ment 16 and arm assembly 19 cannot cause inadvertent changes in the position of element 16. The foregoing results from the fact that the pressure of pin 27 in spiral slot 32 cannot cause rotation of disc 33 and rotation of disc 35 by pressure of pin 27 against one side or the other of slot 36 is resisted by the previously described large stepdown ratio between knob 38 and disc 35.

Although an illustrative embodiment of this invention has been described in detail herein with reference to the accompanying drawings, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to that precise embodiment, and that various changes and modifications may be effected therein without departing from the scope or spirit of this invention.

What 1 claim is:

1. In a toy having a planar member and an element which is to be moved in randomly selected paths with respect to a surface of said planar member; a device for effecting such movement of said element comprising a pantographic arm assembly including two series of links that are pivotally connected end to end and crisscross each other and that have pivotal connections between the links of said two series at locations where they cross each other so that said arm assembly is longitudinally extendable and retractable, means mountingsaid arm assembly in a plane parallel to said planar member for swinging in said plane about an axis at one end of said arm assembly, means mounting said element on the other end of said arm assembly so as to extend adjacent to said planar member, first drive means connected with one of said pivotal connections of said arm assembly which is intermediate the ends of the latter and being selectively operable to cause swinging of said one pivotal connection and hence of said arm assembly about said axis, and second drive means also connected to said one pivotal connection and being selectively operable to vary the distance between said one pivotal connection and said one end of the arm assembly for extending and retracting the latter, whereby combined operations of said first and second drive means can move said element in any desired path with respect to said planar member, said first and second drive means respectively including first and second cam members mounted for rotation about said axis and means for rotating said cam members independently of each other, said first and second cam members respectively having cam surfaces extending radially and spirally with respect to said axis, and said one pivotal connection has connected therewith a cam follower extending from said arm assembly and engaging said radially and spirally extending cam surfaces.

2. A toy according to claim 1, in which said one pivotal connection of the arm assembly is next adjacent said one end of the latter.

3. A toy according to claim 1, in which said first and second cam members are in the form of discs having slots therein defining the respective cam surfaces and said cam follower is in the form of a pin slidably received in said slots.

4. A toy according to claim 3, in which said mounting means for the arm assembly includes a shaft rotatable about said axis and having said one endof the arm assembly freely pivoted thereon, one of said discs is fixed to said shaft, the other of said discs is freely rotatable on said shaft, and said means for rotating the cam members independently of each other includes a first knob fixed to said shaft, a second rotatable knob and transmission means connecting said second knob with said other disc.

5. A toy according to claim 4. in which said transmission means includes a frictional drive member engaging the periphery of said other disc, and means to rotate said frictional drive member in response to rotation of said second knob.

6. A toy according to claim 5, in which said means to rotate the frictional drive member includes reversing gear means between said second knob and said frictional drive member so that the direction of rotation of said other disc will correspond to that of said second knob.

7. A toy according to claim 6, in which said one disc has said spirally extending cam surface and said other disc has said radially extending cam surface.

8. A toy according to claim 7, in which said reversing gear means and the engagement of said frictional drive member with the periphery of said other disc provide a substantial stepdown ratio between the rotational movements of said second knob and said other disc.

9. A toy according to claim 1, in which said element is a magnet, and a play piece is disposed against the surface of said planar member facing away from said magnet and is adapted to be magnetically acted upon by said magnet through said planar member for movement in accordance with the movement of said magnet in said randomly selected paths. 

1. In a toy having a planar member and an element which is to be moved in randomly selected paths with respect to a surface of said planar member; a device for effecting such movement of said element comprising a pantographic arm assembly including two series of links that are pivotally connected end to end and crisscross each other and that have pivotal connections between the links of said two series at locations where they cross each other so that said arm assembly is longitudinally extendable and retractable, means mounting said arm assembly in a plane parallel to said planar member for swinging in said plane about an axis at one end of said arm assembly, means mounting said element on the other end of said arm assembly so as to extend adjacent to said planar member, first drive means connected with one of said pivotal connections of said arm assembly which is intermediate the ends of the latter and being selectively operable to cause swinging of said one pivotal connection and hence of said arm assembly about said axis, and second drive means also connected to said one pivotal connection and being selectively operable to vary the distance between said one pivotal connection and said one end of the arm assembly for extending and retracting the latter, whereby combined operations of said first and second drive means can move said element in any desired path with respect to said planar member, said first and second drive means respectively including first and second cam members mounted for rotation about said axis and means for rotating said cam members independently of each other, said first and second cam members respectively having cam surfaces extending radially and spirally with respect to said axis, and said one pivotal connection has connected therewith a cam follower extending from said arm assembly and engaging said radially and spirally extending cam surfaces.
 2. A toy according to claim 1, in which said one pivotal connection of the arm assembly is next adjacent said one end of the latter.
 3. A toy according to claim 1, in which said first and second cam members are in the form of discs having slots therein defining the respective cam surfaces and said cam follower is in the form of a pin slidably received in said slots.
 4. A toy according to claim 3, in which said mounting means for the arm assembly includes a shaft rotatable about said axis and having said one end of the arm assembly freely pivoted thereon, one of said discs is fixed to said shaft, the other of said discs is freely rotatable on said shaft, and said means for rotating the cam members independently of each other includes a first knob fixed to said shaft, a second rotatable knob and transmission means connecting said second knob with said other disc.
 5. A toy according to claim 4, in which said transmission means includes a frictional drive member engaging the periphery of said other disc, and means to rotate said frictional drive member in response to rotation of said second knob.
 6. A toy according to claim 5, in which said means to rotate the frictional drive member includes reversing gear means between said second knob and said frictional drive member so that the direction of rotation of said other disc will correspond to that of said second knob.
 7. A toy according to claim 6, in which said one disc has said spirally extending cam surface and said other disc has said radially extending cam surface.
 8. A toy according to claim 7, in which said reversing gear means and the engagement of said frictional drive member with the periphery of said other disc provide a substantial stepdown ratio between the rotational movements of said second knob and said other disc.
 9. A toy according to claim 1, in which saId element is a magnet, and a play piece is disposed against the surface of said planar member facing away from said magnet and is adapted to be magnetically acted upon by said magnet through said planar member for movement in accordance with the movement of said magnet in said randomly selected paths. 